A species of dolphin has been discovered in B.C. waters for the first time — alive. Two small schools of short-beaked common dolphins have been confirmed about 75 kilometres off southwestern Vancouver Island. The only prior record of the species on the west coast of Canada has been three dead animals found over a period of more than 60 years.

ABOARD THE JOHN B. TULLY — For an hour, travelling along at a speed of 10 knots, the open Pacific seems virtually barren. Then the outline of Cape St. James at the south end of Haida Gwaii — our first land sighting since Triangle Island off northern Vancouver Island — comes into sight and the waters begin to churn with marine life.

Imagine a man wearing a tuxedo being propelled from the dark blue Pacific. Now imagine dozens of them, their sleek bodies glistening in the early evening sun, seeming to defy gravity. That is the northern right whale dolphin.

ABOARD THE CCGS JOHN P. TULLY — We are sailing in the whalers’ wake. In the 1800s through the 1960s, Canada’s West Coast flowed red with blood from the whaling industry. And while the commercial killing has stopped, the legacy of that era lives on in endangered species such as the blue, sei and North Pacific right whale.

A marine biologist at the University of B.C. is heading a national study focused on evaluating the health of whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity. David Rosen and a team of researchers are looking at two related areas: developing criteria to determine the well being of cetaceans and then finding out how captivity affects them.

A Liberal senator’s hope to end the practice of keeping whales and dolphins in captivity fails to recognize the scientific importance of captive cetaceans in helping to better understand those in the wild, a Vancouver Aquarium official said Thursday.

The Vancouver Aquarium is bidding to operate Europe’s largest aquarium. Called L’Oceanogràfic, the aquarium is in Valencia on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. The Vancouver Aquarium is a part of a team that includes KET, a small Spanish company made up of management officials who oversaw the construction and early operation of L’Oceanogràfic, and Omnium Iberico SA, a subsidiary of Aguas de Valencia, which provides water and other municipal services to Valencia and other Spanish jurisdictions.

A final attempt by outgoing Vision Vancouver park board commissioners to ban the captive breeding of whales, dolphins and porpoises at the Vancouver Aquarium failed Monday. Sarah Blyth forwarded a motion to suspend park board rules and table a bylaw to prohibit the breeding of cetaceans in parks during what was the board’s last meeting before a new Non-Partisan Association-controlled board comes into power on Dec. 1.

When Chester, the false killer whale, was rescued on Chesterman Beach near Tofino in July he was 86 kilograms and 199 cms. Still a baby at four to six weeks of age, he was near death, so weak he had to be supported in a sling and monitored around the clock once he was transferred to the Vancouver Aquarium’s marine mammal rescue centre. Importantly, he was also silent.More than four months later, Chester is 125 kilograms and 220 cms, swimming effortlessly in a pool at the rescue centre, playing with floating toys, interacting with staff, and producing a surprising repertoire of vocalizations that extend well beyond the human ability to hear.

The 2014 Victoria to Maui Yacht race is history, and most of the competitors took the fast way home aboard a comfortable jetliner. For a small group of sailors however, the end of the race marked the start to an adventure of a lifetime.

Re: Commissioner compares whales in captivity to human slavery — multiple media outlets, Aug. 1. At last Thursday’s Vancouver park board meeting, at which the Vancouver aquarium was restricted in breeding cetacean species, park board commissioner Constance Barnes stated that “less than 100 years ago, my people were being bred, and less than 100 years ago, my people were being sold.”These words trample on the history and legacy of the innumerable men, women and children who knew nothing but a life of captivity.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.